Chemours adding research and development facility

Chemours Co. is in the middle of constructing a state-of-the-art research and innovation facility that is slated to open in early 2020 on the University of Delaware’s campus.

The chemicals firm that produces the Viton-brand fluoroelastomer line is investing about $150 million on what will be known as the Chemours Discovery Hub, which will be located on the university’s Science, Technology and Advanced Research—or STAR—Campus.

Together, Chemours and the University of Delaware will conduct research focused on new process, product and application development “to better meet customer and market needs,” according to a Chemours statement. The Chemours facility will be 312,000 square feet and is expected to house roughly 320 Chemours researchers. Chemours is the public company that was spun off from DuPont in 2015.

The Discovery Hub will bring together researchers from all parts of Chemours that currently are spread among about 15 research and development buildings that are near the company’s headquarters in Wilmington, said Bianca Hydutsky, Chemours technical services manager for fluoropolymers.

Anton Soudakov, regional product manager for Viton fluoroelastomers, said the R&D center will promote collaboration between the different businesses within Chemours, which include fluoroproducts, titanium technologies and chemical solutions.